Question about homemade mayonnaise (493 views)
neptune
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Post by neptune on Mar 22, 2018 16:20:54 GMT -5
I make mayonnaise a lot, and rarely have problems with it not turning out. I usually make it in the food processor, but occasionally in the blender. Anyway, the last couple of times, I decided to try something different. I decided to use my electric mixer, because I thought that would make cleanup easier. From everything I read, an electric mixer is supposed to work fine. So, last time, I put the whisk attachment on my beater and started the process. But there was one small problem—the mayo never emulsified. Fortunately, I was able to "repair" the mayo using my food processor and another egg. I thought the reason it didn't emulsify might have been because some of my ingredients were too cold. So, this time, I made sure everything was at room temperature. And guess what—it still didn't emulsify. What I got was Italian dressing. Again, I repaired the mayo, this time using my blender. What gives? Making mayo in the blender or food processor is usually a piece of cake, except for the cleanup. So why doesn't it seem to work in an electric mixer, especially when all these recipes say it should? Any ideas? Incidentally, I used the highest speed of my beater. Thanks for any info.
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Post by mrswaz on Mar 23, 2018 12:56:29 GMT -5
If I had to guess, I would say that your beater is simply not up to the task- the highest speed isn't quite high enough to get that emulsification to happen. Another possibility might be with quantity- maybe there is not enough volume of ingredients in the bowl for the magic to happen? When I make homemade mayo, I use a stick blender in a mason jar. I'm sure my Ninja is up to the task as well, but since I store the mayo IN the jar, I love not having to transfer the contents and have something else to clean. I follow the method from The Food Lab: www.seriouseats.com/2016/08/video-food-lab-foolproof-homemade-mayonnaise.html
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neptune
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Post by neptune on Mar 23, 2018 15:40:32 GMT -5
If I had to guess, I would say that your beater is simply not up to the task- the highest speed isn't quite high enough to get that emulsification to happen. That's certainly possible, but I've only had my beater for about 8 years, so it's pretty powerful and modern. What kind of beater would one need then? Does anybody here make mayonnaise using a beater? And how did people make mayonnaise, say, 50 years ago, I wonder? Maybe when you use a beater, you have to add the oil much slower than with a blender or food processor. That could be another factor. That sounds reasonable as well. Thanks for the info, mrswaz. Yes, that's neat reducing the cleanup like that. In fact, I just realized that I have a hand blender that I haven't used in AGES. So, I think I'll try that method next time I make mayonnaise.
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Post by PattiA on Mar 23, 2018 17:02:06 GMT -5
I also use a stick blender for mayo. And every once in a while the ingredients are ornery and it doesn't work. Although I have a hand mixer, it never occurred to me to use it for mayo. For me, there does seem to be some sort of magic with the diameter of the container I blend in and the success of the mayo.
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traildoggie
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Post by traildoggie on Mar 23, 2018 22:53:29 GMT -5
I don't like mayo so don't ever use it. .... but a stick blender works great for vinaigrettes. I dump it all together and buzz it. I used to shake it in a small jar but it never stayed emulsified. when I use the stick blender it stays mixed for as long as I have it in the frig.
the mixer might need to get oil drizzled in gradually while beating to emulsify properly.
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Post by mrswaz on Mar 24, 2018 7:38:56 GMT -5
I don't like mayo so don't ever use it. .... but a stick blender works great for vinaigrettes. I dump it all together and buzz it. I used to shake it in a small jar but it never stayed emulsified. when I use the stick blender it stays mixed for as long as I have it in the frig. the mixer might need to get oil drizzled in gradually while beating to emulsify properly. Oh, that's a good point! neptune, are you drizzling the oil in after the beaters are going or are you starting the mixer up after everything is in the bowl?
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neptune
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Post by neptune on Apr 6, 2018 23:11:04 GMT -5
I also use a stick blender for mayo. And every once in a while the ingredients are ornery and it doesn't work. Although I have a hand mixer, it never occurred to me to use it for mayo. For me, there does seem to be some sort of magic with the diameter of the container I blend in and the success of the mayo. Good point, PattiA. Yes, if the container is too wide, it seems the emulsion is less likely to form. It's the same way with getting cream to whip actually.
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neptune
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Post by neptune on Apr 6, 2018 23:15:33 GMT -5
I don't like mayo so don't ever use it. .... but a stick blender works great for vinaigrettes. I dump it all together and buzz it. I used to shake it in a small jar but it never stayed emulsified. when I use the stick blender it stays mixed for as long as I have it in the frig. the mixer might need to get oil drizzled in gradually while beating to emulsify properly. That's interesting, traildoggie, about using a stick blender for vinaigrettes. I assume a regular blender would work as well. Yes, I think drizzling the oil in super-slow might be the key. In fact, I was looking at a Better Homes and Gardens cookbook, and it said that drizzling in the oil should take about 5 minutes!!! With a food processor, it's so much quicker. I think another big factor was that my mixer only comes with a huge bowl. If it had a smaller bowl, I think the mayonnaise might have actually turned out.
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neptune
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Post by neptune on Apr 6, 2018 23:22:01 GMT -5
Oh, that's a good point! neptune , are you drizzling the oil in after the beaters are going or are you starting the mixer up after everything is in the bowl? I haven't visited in a while, so sorry it's taken me so long to see your question, mrswaz. I'm drizzling the oil in after the beaters are going. Anyway, since I last visited, I tried your hand-blender suggestion. It started off fine, but I think my hand blender (which is pretty old) isn't powerful enough to do the job. The mayonnaise starting getting really thick, and it couldn't seem to handle that. So I actually finished off the mayonnaise using a rotary hand beater. There was enough initial emulsification that using the hand beater worked out quite nicely. I would probably need a hand blender like yours to get things to work smoothly.
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Post by emma on Apr 7, 2018 8:18:09 GMT -5
High speed blending may not be the problem. Chefs and housewives made Mayonnaise, Aioli, etc. a lot of years before there were high-speed blenders and food processors. (We all would hate to go back to those days, wouldn't we?) I was given this recipe from a good friend --
* Exported from MasterCook *
Mayonnaise -
1 egg 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard 1 cup salad oil 1 lemon, juiced
Break egg into a bowl, add salt, mustard and 2-3 tablespoons salad oil. Beat a moment, add a few more tablespoons oil, beat again. When it begins to thicken add the oil in large dollops until all has been added. Beat until thick, add lemon juice. (Should take less than 1 minute).
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traildoggie
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Post by traildoggie on Apr 7, 2018 11:37:13 GMT -5
Neptune, I should qualify that. a stick blender and ingredients in a small "column" shaped container, like what comes with the blender. makes a vinaigrette that stays mixed. it helps if you add a little mustard. I don't know the chemistry of it, but that seems to be the magic in what keeps vinaigrettes from separating for me. I make a dressing with rice vinegar and oil and honey and it always separates after sitting for a while, but the stick blender will keep it mixed for a while. my regular vinaigrette has a tsp of mustard and stays mixed for a week.
I have a small food processor that will work, but it likes to leak when buzzing liquidy things, and it always needs to go in the DW after. the stick blender comes apart and easily cleans in the sink in its own container after I transfer dressing to screw top container. the blender also works but still prefer stick blender for ease of use and clean up.
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neptune
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Post by neptune on Apr 12, 2018 1:16:00 GMT -5
High speed blending may not be the problem. I suspect you're right. If I had a regular beater with a small bowl, I'd try to make mayonnaise that way. But my beater only came with a huge bowl, and I think that's why it didn't work. The dinosaurs probably offered them some assistance too. I was actually experimenting with making mayonnaise using a rotary beater. I got impatient, though, and dumped everything into a food processor. But if I'd hung in there long enough, I think it would've worked. The key seems to be to just add a little oil at a time. One thing that frustrated me is my rotary beater is kind of heavy, and if I let go of it, it inevitably tips my mixing bowl over. Actually, though, for all the advances of modern technology, I think the older era had its advantages too. Back then, probably nobody had 8 million recipes to sift through and worry about which one to make next. Studies have shown that too many choices can lead to great misery, which is what we're faced with today. So, we may have a lot of cool tools now, but our society doesn't seem to be the happier for it. Life is so much more complicated today. Thanks, emma. That's actually very similar to my own recipe. For oil, I use a combo of olive oil, sesame oil, and coconut oil (1/3 of each). I also use a little less salt than that. In addition, I add some garlic powder (or minced garlic), onion powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper. As for the lemon juice, wow, a whole lemon!!?? That would be so overpowering I couldn't eat it!!! I only use about 1 tsp. juice per cup of oil. These instructions sound like they'd work for either a mixer or a hand blender.
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neptune
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Post by neptune on Apr 12, 2018 1:34:48 GMT -5
Neptune, I should qualify that. a stick blender and ingredients in a small "column" shaped container, like what comes with the blender. makes a vinaigrette that stays mixed. Thanks for the clarification, traildoggie. The narrowness of the container probably helps a lot. Yes, mustard helps things emulsify. Milk products do too. I think salt does to some extent as well. That's why most mayonnaise recipes use mustard. Interesting. I know what you mean—I hate that.
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